Skip to Content

Financial Aid Information

Financial aid is available for international undergraduate students. Most scholarships are stackable, which means students can receive more than one APU scholarship, if qualified. Although international undergraduate students are not required to take the SAT for admission to APU, it is required to qualify for academic scholarships for first-time freshmen.

Academic Scholarships for First-Time Freshmen

Trustees’ Scholarship
Amount: Full-tuition (awarded to five first-time freshmen who are interviewed and selected by the Trustees’ Scholarship Committee)
Qualifications: 3.9+ weighted high school GPA and a 1,300+ on the SAT I (Critical Reading and Math sections only) or a 30+ on the ACT
Renewable: Up to four years (must maintain a cumulative 3.0 GPA or higher at APU, which is verified at the end of each spring semester)
Deadlines: Must complete an APU admissions application by the Early Action deadline of December 1 and submit a complete Trustees’ Scholarship application by January 10
To apply: Download, print, complete, and submit the Trustees’ Scholarship Application (PDF).*
President’s Scholarship
Amount: $10,000 annual award ($5,000 per semester)
Qualifications:* Students who are generally in the top 10 percent of the incoming class; around a 3.9 GPA and a 1,300 on the SAT I (Critical Reading and Math sections only) or 30 on the ACT
Renewable: Up to four years (must maintain a cumulative 2.8 GPA or higher at APU, which is verified at the end of each spring semester)
Deans’ Scholarship
Amount: $8,000 annual award ($4,000 per semester)
Qualifications:* Students who are generally in the top 20 percent of the incoming class; around a 3.7 GPA and a 1,200 on the SAT I (Critical Reading and Math sections only) or 27 on the ACT
Renewable: Up to four years (must maintain a cumulative 2.8 GPA or higher at APU, which is verified at the end of each spring semester)
Director’s Scholarship
Amount: $7,000 annual award ($3,500 per semester)
Qualifications:* Around a 3.5 GPA and a 1,100 on the SAT I (Critical Reading and Math sections only) or 24 on the ACT
Renewable: Up to four years (must maintain a cumulative 2.8 GPA or higher at APU, which is verified at the end of each spring semester)
Founder’s Award
Amount: $6,000 annual award ($3,000 per semester)
Qualifications:* Around a 3.3 GPA and a 1,050 on the SAT I (Critical Reading and Math sections only) or 22 on the ACT
Renewable: Up to four years (must maintain a cumulative 2.8 GPA or higher at APU, which is verified at the end of each spring semester)

*Due to the fact that these awards are based on a combination of GPA and test scores, average qualifications are listed. Recipients will be granted the single highest award for which they qualify and will receive official notification of their award shortly after acceptance to the university.

Academic Scholarships for New Transfer Students

Transfer scholarships are awarded to qualified students who have completed 12 or more semester units in college by the time of their acceptance to APU.

Transfer Merit Scholarship I
Amount: $5,000 annual award ($2,500 per semester)
Qualifications: 3.5+ cumulative college GPA
Renewable: Up to four years (must maintain a cumulative 2.8 GPA or higher at APU, which is verified at the end of each spring semester)
Transfer Merit Scholarship II
Amount: $4,000 annual award ($2,000 per semester)
Qualifications: 3.0–3.499 cumulative college GPA
Renewable: Up to four years (must maintain a cumulative 2.8 GPA or higher at APU, which is verified at the end of each spring semester)

Participatory Scholarships

Athletic Scholarships

Athletic scholarships are available to students who qualify to participate in a university athletic program. Scholarships vary in amount and may cover up to 100 percent of tuition. Online recruitment forms are available for the following programs:

The coaching staff for Softball, Women’s Swimming and Diving, Men’s and Women’s Tennis, and Women’s Water Polo prefer to receive direct emails from all interested students with pertinent information concerning their athletic history. Game footage is always requested when available. An email directory of our coaching staff can be found at www.apu.edu/athletics/about/directory/.

Forensics Scholarships

Forensics scholarships are available to students participating in our nationally recognized forensics program. Scholarship amounts vary. For more information on our forensics program, please contact the program director, Amy Jung, at (626) 815-6000, Ext. 3716 or ajung@apu.edu.

The Kern Center for Vocational Ministry Scholarship

The Kern Center for Vocational Ministry Scholarship is renewable (first year: $2,000, second year: $4,000, third year: $4,000 for a total scholarship of $10,000) and awarded to selected undergraduate students preparing to serve God in vocational pastoral ministry. All applications are due April 15. For more information, visit www.apu.edu/ministryasvocation/scholarships/.

Multi-Ethnic Leadership Scholarship

Every year, 12 first-time freshmen are chosen to be recipients of the Multi-Ethnic Leadership (MEL) Scholarship. The MEL Scholarship is awarded to carefully screened applicants who must possess a 3.2 minimum high school GPA, demonstrate strong leadership abilities in high school, and who will actively pursue and advocate for diversity on campus through a leadership position. Grants of up to $4,500 per year are awarded to these students. All applications are due by March 2. For more information, visit www.apu.edu/mep/scholarship/.

Music Scholarships

Music scholarships are available to students with exceptional musical talent as well as for participation in a variety of music groups. Scholarships vary in amount, may cover up to 100 percent of tuition, and are available to both music majors and non-major students. For more information on the audition process for our music program, please visit www.apu.edu/music/ensembles/auditions/.

Science and Math Scholarship

Each year the Department of Biology and Chemistry and the Department of Mathematics and Physics offer a total of five $3,000 scholarships to selected incoming freshman. These scholarships are available to any major in these departments and they may be renewed annually. For more information and an application, please contact Jurgen Ziesmann at (626) 815-6000, Ext. 3347 or jziesmann@apu.edu.

Theater Scholarships

Theater scholarships are available to students participating in our theater program. Scholarship amounts vary. For more information on audition opportunities and scholarship requirements, please visit www.apu.edu/clas/theaterfilmtv/scholarships.

Underwriting Organizations

Many organizations contribute funds to underwrite APU scholarships. Among these foundations and corporations are:

  • Ahmanson Foundation
  • Farmers Insurance
  • GenCorp
  • George Mayr Foundation
  • James Stamps Foundation
  • LifeCare Foundation
  • Riverside Community Foundation
  • Southern California Edison
APU thanks these organizations for their generous contributions.

International Student Scholarships

Award Name Yearly Amount Requirements
Haggard International Scholarship 25-40 percent of tuition Must be a born-again Christian, maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA, leave the country after graduation, and follow specified guidelines as stated in the contract. Special application may be requested from the International Center by emailing international@apu.edu.

Visiting scholarships are available for select graduate (master’s level) candidates with at least five years work experience. For detailed information, please contact us.